InterMat Job Board

Executive Director, BTSP

Posted about 4 months ago by Ekutas

About Beat the Streets Philadelphia
Beat the Streets Philadelphia (BTSP), a sports based youth development organization, believes wrestling helps develop confident, resilient youth who learn to grapple with difficult situations, literally starting on their hands and knees, developing real-time strategies to outmaneuver a situation, and sticking with it until they can stand up and stand tall.

The founders created BTSP in 2009 to extend their own transformative wrestling experiences to Philadelphia’s children who can succeed on the wrestling mat, in the classroom, and throughout their lives if they receive the right support. Today, BTSP operates 22 afterschool wrestling programs in under-resourced, inner-city schools and community centers where it serves youth who are the most difficult to reach and at the greatest risk of dropping out. It serves 1,200 children kindergarten through 12th grade, including a growing number of girls.

BTSP provides everything necessary to start and operate wrestling programs including coaches, equipment, insurance, and travel expenses. Activities are free to students, of whom more than 95% come from low-income families and 77% are minorities. In addition, BTSP operates a mentoring center that helps youth integrate personal responsibility, discipline, and hard work into their academics and daily life, and provides paid training and leadership opportunities to a small but growing number of junior coaches.

More than 95% of participants advance to the next grade, 83% show more grit, which research shows has a direct impact on success in the classroom and, later, in careers, and 75% of graduating seniors are accepted into college.

BTSP’s Board is comprised of passionate, dedicated Board members who are supported by a recently established Advisory Board whose primary role is to raise funds and visibility within Philadelphia. BTSP has 5 staff and its current budget is $1,050,000.

Compensation:
Salary will be commensurate with experience, with benefits aligned with nonprofit industry standards.

Ideal Background:
Seasoned professional with a history of accomplishment combining systems development, strategic relationship advancement and fundraising, ideally in the nonprofit sector.

Deep commitment to and experience with athletics, youth development, working with low-income communities, building cross-sector relationships, and appreciating the complexity of motivations among diverse constituents.

Professional Skills & Characteristics:
1. At least ten (10) years progressively responsible roles, with direct experience incorporating programmatic, operational and external relations functions.
2. High-energy, dynamic leader with vision, integrity and passion for service excellence able to mobilize staff, board and stakeholders towards a common goal.
3. Entrepreneurial person capable and comfortable building an organization.
4. Deep appreciation of youth development is a must. At least basic knowledge about issues related to sports-based youth development is necessary. Ability to learn quickly is a must.
5. Deep appreciation of, and personal experience in, athletics, is a must. Healthy lifestyle choice is a must. Direct experience with wrestling is a major advantage.
6. Skilled in working in collaboratively to build relationships with multiple external stakeholders, to include capacity to understand interests of small nonprofits, larger institutional nonprofits, schools and public sector decision makers.
7. Effective communicator to multiple internal and external audiences, such as program site coaches, school district officials, funders and corporate sponsors concerning complex issues related to youth development.
8. Demonstrated track record supporting fund development, to include foundations, corporations and major donors.
9. Managerial expertise including human resources, staff management, and fiscal management.
10. Worked directly with and managed complex relations with a volunteer governing board.

Key Functions:
1. Operational Enhancements
a. Develop and advance organizational systems and processes such as financial, HR
b. Create and nurture a culture of accountability by defining and advancing roles and responsibilities
c. Create and nurture a culture of evaluation enhancing the organization’s ability to measure and report its impact
d. Manage the budget

2. Organizational Management
a. Manage staff and foster a professional environment
b. Enable participating wrestling sites to improve quality and serve more children.
c. Lead the organization’s programmatic agenda, including growth, as relevant
d. Grow partnerships and collaborative relationships, especially with schools, the public sector, and youth serving organizations

3. Public Awareness and Communications
a. Serve as key spokesperson for BTSP and advocate for sports based youth development with public sector decision makers and other key stakeholders, to include ensuring wrestling is understood and well-regarded approach in the eyes of funders and public sector decision makers.
b. Advance media relations and represent the organization at regional and national meetings and events related to sports based youth development
c. Advance BTSP as a regional leader in the sports based youth development field.

4. Resource Development
a. Steward and expand relationships with funders and donors
b. Initiate and secure additional support from foundations, corporations, and individuals
c. Cultivate and solicit major gifts in collaboration with the board and advisory board
d. Support the board and advisory board in their fundraising activities
5. Board Relations
a. Nurture a positive, open and collaborative relationship with the Board and its committees. Strategically lead Board in its decision making when necessary.
b. Work in collaboration with the board to promote the mission
c. Participate in soliciting and recruiting additional people to the board; arrange opportunities for board development and education for its members
d. Support the enhancement of the Advisory Board’s goals and capacity in collaboration with the board.
e. Effectively manage volunteer board of directors functioning as a strategic governing board.
f. Work with the board to grow, diversify, and strengthen the advisory board.

Notes:
1. BTSP is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and practices inclusion. Minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
2. Freedom from illegal use of drugs, and freedom from use and effects of use of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.
3. Persons who have been found guilty by a court of law of abusing, neglecting or mistreating individuals are ineligible for employment in this position.
4. This profile is intended to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by the Executive Director. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of the Executive Director.
Application Process Interviews will be arranged as soon as a group of qualified candidates is assembled. Resumes and a one-page cover letter that conveys why you are well suited for this position and how it fits into your career should be emailed as soon as possible to: BTSPED@fairmountinc.com. No paper copies, please. Applications should be emailed no later than April 28, 2017.
Confirmation of receipt of the application will be sent by return email. Interviews of preferred candidates will be arranged forthwith. No phone calls, please. All candidates will be notified of the final decision via email.